Fired Deerfield Beach housing worker stole $10,000, feds say

October 1, 2013|By Paula McMahon, Sun Sentinel

A former Deerfield Beach Housing Authority employee turned herself in Tuesday at the federal courthouse to face charges she stole more than $10,000 in federal funds intended to help low-income city residents.

Cardra Robinson, 43, of Miramar, pleaded not guilty to three federal counts of theft of public money at a brief court hearing. Her attorney said she is cooperating with authorities and the case is expected to conclude with a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Prosecutors said she stole $10,298 worth of federal funds supplied by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development between July 2012 and August 1 of this year. The money was intended to provide housing assistance to low-income tenants, according to court records.

Robinson was fired from her job as an executive and administrative assistant at the city's housing authority earlier this year. Her lawyer, John Hager, said she admitted she had taken the money as soon as agency accountants figured out that money appeared to be missing.

"She volunteered this information … she felt relieved, she felt she needed to get this off her chest," Hager said.

He said she used the money to deal with unspecified "family issues."

"She didn't use this money to buy fancy cars or anything like that," Hager said.

Robinson was released on $25,000 bond. The maximum punishment is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.